Urinary neonicotinoid insecticides and adiposity measures among 7-year-old children in northern China: A cross-sectional study

Zhenping Lu; Yi Hu; Lap Ah Tse; Jinxia Yu; Zhuanning Xia; Xiaoning Lei; Yan Zhang; Rong Shi; Ying Tian; Yu Gao

doi:10.1016/j.ijheh.2023.114188

Urinary neonicotinoid insecticides and adiposity measures among 7-year-old children in northern China: A cross-sectional study

Int J Hyg Environ Health. 2023 Jun:251:114188. doi: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2023.114188. Epub 2023 May 23.

Authors

Zhenping Lu¹, Yi Hu², Lap Ah Tse³, Jinxia Yu⁴, Zhuanning Xia¹, Xiaoning Lei¹, Yan Zhang¹, Rong Shi¹, Ying Tian⁵, Yu Gao⁶

Affiliations

¹ Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
² The International Peace Maternity and Child Health Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
³ Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
⁴ Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Engineering of Ministry of Education, Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, China.
⁵ Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; MOE-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xin Hua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China. Electronic address: tianmiejp@sjtu.edu.cn.
⁶ Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China. Electronic address: gaoyu_ciel@sjtu.edu.cn.

PMID: 37229902
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2023.114188

Abstract

Background: Neonicotinoid insecticides (NEOs) are emerging synthetic insecticides used in various pest management regimens worldwide. Toxicology studies have indicated the obesogenic potential of NEOs, but their associations with adiposity measures are largely unknown.

Objectives: We aimed to assess urinary levels of NEOs/metabolites and their associations with children's adiposity measures, and to further investigate the potential role of oxidative stress.

Methods: This study included 380 children who participated in the 7th year's follow-up of the Laizhou Wan Birth Cohort in northern China. Urinary levels of seven NEOs and two metabolites and a biomarker of lipid peroxidation named 8-iso-prostaglandin-F2α (8-iso-PGF2α) were detected. A total of nine indicators of adiposity were measured. Body mass index (BMI) z-score ≥85th percentile was defined as overweight/obesity, and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) ≥0.5 was considered as abdominal obesity. Multiple linear regression, binary logistic regression and mediation analysis were performed.

Results: Six NEOs [imidacloprid (IMI, 99.7%), clothianidin (CLO, 98.9%), dinotefuran (DIN, 97.6%), thiamethoxam (THM, 95.5%), acetamiprid (ACE, 82.9%), thiacloprid (THD, 77.6%)] and two metabolites [N-desmethyl-acetamiprid (N-DMA, 100.0%), 6-chloronicotinic acid (6-CINA, 97.9%)] exhibited high detection rates. Multiple linear regressions showed positive associations of waist circumference with urinary levels of IMI and THM, of WHtR with IMI and THM levels, and of body fat percentage with 6-CINA levels. In contrast, exposure to N-DMA was negatively associated with body fat percentage and fat mass index. Binary logistic regressions further revealed that higher IMI levels were associated with overweight/obesity (OR = 1.556, 95% CI: 1.100, 2.201) and abdominal obesity (OR = 1.478, 95% CI: 1.078, 2.026) in children. 8-iso-PGF2α demonstrated 27.92%, 69.52% and 35.37% mediating effects in the positive associations of IMI, THD and THM with WHtR, respectively. Sex modified the associations of DIN with body fat mass (p_int = 0.032), body fat percentage (p_int = 0.009), fat mass index (p_int = 0.037) and the overweight/obesity rate (p_int = 0.046), with negative associations in girls and nonsignificant positive associations in boys.

Conclusions: School-age children in northern China were widely exposed to NEOs/metabolites. Urinary levels of NEOs/metabolites were associated with adiposity measures through the mediating role of 8-iso-PGF2α. These associations were mixed, and a sex-specific effect might exist.

Keywords: Adiposity measures; Neonicotinoid insecticides; Obesity; Oxidative stress; School-age children.

MeSH terms

Adiposity
Child
China
Cross-Sectional Studies
Female
Humans
Insecticides* / urine
Male
Neonicotinoids / analysis
Obesity
Obesity, Abdominal
Overweight

Substances

Insecticides
Neonicotinoids